Side-by-side specifications of the Synology DS416PLAY and DS416slim, from official datasheets. Differences are highlighted.
| DS416PLAY | DS416slim | |
| CPU | Intel Celeron N3060 | Marvell Armada 385 88F6820 1.0GHz |
| Cores / threads | 2/2 | 2C/2T |
| RAM (base) | 1GB | 512MB DDR3 |
| RAM (max) | 1GB | 512MB |
| Drive bays | 4 | 4 |
| Expandable to | — | 0 |
| M.2 slots | 0 | 0 |
| Network | 2x 1GbE | 2x 1GbE |
| 10GbE | no | no |
| Max raw capacity | 40TB | 8TB |
| Hot-swap | yes | yes |
| Form factor | desktop | desktop |
| Released | 2016 | 2015 |
Choose the DS416PLAY if you want the better all-around box: it has a faster Intel CPU, a 1 GB RAM ceiling, and 4 bays for more usable capacity and easier expansion. Choose the DS416slim only if you specifically need a compact 2.5-inch unit; it has a weaker CPU, lower RAM ceiling, and only 6 GB? Wait no, it has 2 bays and no real expansion path. Neither model has 10GbE or M.2, so those are not deciding factors here.